1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to camera systems which may be adapted for various uses and, more particularly, camera systems with means for providing illumination.
2. Background Art
As vehicles have become relatively more sophisticated, substantial development work has occurred with respect to safety features for vehicles. For example, one problem which has existed for a substantial period of time relates to the capability of a driver to maneuver a vehicle relative to external obstacles. For this reason, side and rear view mirrors have been in use for a number of years. However, dependent upon the type, size and overall shape of a vehicle, mirrors having image surfaces visual to a driver often cannot “pick up” images of obstacles presenting safety concerns for the driver. That is, vehicular mirrors often must be positioned on vehicles in a manner so that proverbial “blind spots” still occur for the driver. For a number of various types of vehicles, such as semitrailer trucks, waste hauling trucks and the like, these blind spots can be relatively large.
It should also be noted that mirrors provide less than optimum vehicular security systems. For example, mirrors mounted on a truck do not provide the truck driver with an unobstructed view of the area immediately adjacent the rear door of the truck. The driver may then not be able to tell when unauthorized individuals are approaching the rear door so as to tamper with the truck or the like. Mirrors on recreational vehicles likewise are inadequate for occupants attempting to monitor suspicious activity outside the vehicles.
To alleviate these problems which cannot readily be solved by vehicle mirror design, it has become known to employ what could be characterized as “real time” cameras positioned at various locations on a vehicle. Such cameras, for example, may be directed to a lower rear area behind a vehicle which often represents a blind spot with respect to side and rear view mirrors. These video cameras are often directly connected to video monitors within the cab or cockpit of the vehicle, in a manner such that the monitors are readily visible to the driver. During a backup or similar procedures, these cameras can facilitate maneuvering of the vehicle by the driver so as to avoid external obstacles.
An example of one type of vehicle-mounted camera system is disclosed in Steed, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,151,065 issued Nov. 21, 2000. The Steed, et al. patent is directed to a concealed vehicular system for a motor vehicle which permits the operator to view or record events occurring inside or outside the vehicle. A miniature camera is concealed within a functional component of the vehicle, such as within a rear view mirror or a lighting device of the vehicle. Steed, et al. include the capability of having images from the vehicle cameras stored in a recording device, such as a video camera recorder. As an alternative, the images can be transmitted to a viewing screen, such as a cathode ray tube monitor or liquid crystal diode, within the view of the driver.
Using numerical references within the Steed, et al. patent for purposes of description, Steed, et al. disclose a camera assembly as having a miniature camera 2 which may be a commercially available CCD camera mounted inside a vehicle running light housing. The lens of the camera is positioned at a 90° angle and the camera is illuminated and runs on a DC vehicle battery. The camera is positioned within a cavity 6 formed within the base 8 of a housing 4. Light bulbs 10, 12 are mounted on both sides of the camera 2. A lens cover 14 is secured over the top of the base 8, providing protection for both the camera and the light bulbs, and concealment for the camera. The lens cover 14 is identified as typically being fabricated from plastic.
A rotatable bracket 16 is used to secure the base 8 of the housing 4 to the side of a vehicle. The bracket 16 has extensions 18, 20 attached by means of pins 22, 24 to both sides of the base. As primarily shown in FIG. 4, the housing 4 can be rotated relative to the vehicle surface upon which the base 8 is secured, so as to provide for different viewing angles for the camera 2.
A video cable 26 is utilized to connect the camera 2 to a video monitor inside the vehicle. The cable 26 can be a conventional video component containing power, ground and video lines 28 capable of supplying power to the camera and carrying video signals to the monitor. Steed, et al. explain that details associated with the connections between the camera 2 and the video monitor are well understood by those of ordinary skill in the art.
The cable 26 passes through an opening 30 in the back of the base 8, and a similar opening 32 in the bracket 16 to the interior of the vehicle. As an option, electrical conductors 34, 36 can carry electrical current from the vehicle power supplies so as to operate the light bulbs 10, 12. These conductors 34, 36 can also be placed inside the cable 26. In addition, a small cut-out portion 38 can be formed in the side of cavity 6 of the base 8, so as to provide room for the cable 24 when the camera 2 is mounted inside the cavity. For purposes of preventing light emitted by the light bulbs 10, 12 from interfering with operation of the camera 2, partitions 40, 42 are placed on both sides of the camera inside the lens cover 14. The partitions 40, 42 are fabricated from a heat resistant material, such as aluminum or non-heat deformable plastic. The partitions 40, 42 fit in slots 44, 46 formed in the base 8 of the housing 12. When the light bulbs 10, 12 are operational, the partitions 40, 42 screen light from the lens of the camera 2. A third partition 48 (shown in phantom line format in FIG. 5) can optionally be placed in a slot 50 above the camera 2 for purposes of serving as a heat shield. A similar partition (not shown in the Steed, et al. drawings) can optionally be placed below the camera 2 inside the lens cover 14 for the same purpose.
FIG. 6 of the Steed, et al. patent illustrates a pair of running lights 52, 54 containing camera assemblies constructed in accordance with the Steed, et al. disclosure. These running lights 52, 54 are mounted along the top rear surface of a vehicle 56, which may be a recreational vehicle or the like. A pair of cables 58, 60 from the cameras in the running lights 52, 54 are connected in conventional fashion to a pair of video monitors 62, 64 inside the vehicle. As an alternative, the cameras in the running lights 52, 54 could be connected to a single video monitor through a switching circuit which selects, for display, the video images from either the camera in the right running light 52 or the left hand running light 54.
Steed, et al. also describe the concept that the concealed camera system is not restricted to running lights and may, as an example, be placed within vehicle brake lights 66, 68 and connected through cables 70, 72 to monitors 62, 64. Steed, et al. further explain that their camera system can be applied to substantially any vehicle lighting component, so long as provisions are made to conceal the camera behind the light lens and screen the camera lens from the light bulbs in the lighting component.
With reference to FIG. 6 of the Steed, et al. patent, images produced by the video camera arrangement can be transmitted to a video monitor within the view of the vehicle driver. This allows the driver to see in “real time” events occurring to the rear of the vehicle without suffering difficulties inherent in using rear view and side view mirrors, which often produce blind spots and reflect blinding light from other vehicles into the driver's eyes.
Steed, et al. also disclose a circuit (in FIG. 7) for switching video images from a right hand concealed camera to a left hand concealed camera as a function of the position of the vehicle turn indicator. A video monitor is positioned inside a vehicle at position 74. Circuits 76, 78 respectfully control transmission of video images from right hand and left hand concealed cameras. The circuits 76, 78 can be switches through which video images are transmitted to the video monitor 74 when the circuits 76, 78 are energized. Switches 80, 82 can be operated by relays 84, 86 positioned within the circuits 76, 78 so that closure of the switch 80 provides the video monitor 74 with video images from the right hand concealed camera. Correspondingly, closure of the switch 82 provides the video monitor with images from the left hand concealed camera. In this particular embodiment, relays 84, 86 are, in turn, connected to the vehicle turn indicator 88 through a relatively simple electro-mechanical arrangement constructed in accordance with technology known to those of ordinary skill in the art.
Several problems exist with respect to known types of video cameras which operate in real time. For example, one difficulty relates to illumination. That is, the area behind a vehicle or the like may not have sufficient illumination so as to provide an image to the driver or other user. With the lack of sufficient illumination, images may not be sufficiently visible so as to be recognizable with respect to both brightness and resolution. For this reason, it is advantageous to provide some type of illumination which may be associated with the camera. However, even with this advantageous concept, difficulty can exist with respect to actual and physically realizable apparatus having cameras and illumination means associated therewith.
For example, incorporating illumination apparatus and electronics with a camera can result in a relatively complex structure. Such a structure may be difficult and relatively expensive to manufacture. Still further, if a camera is essentially manufactured in a manner so that it is mechanically and electrically “integral” with the illumination means, additional problems can exist. As an example, if electrical components associated with the illumination means fail, and the camera has been constructed as an integral part of the illumination means, then the resulting apparatus is likely expensive, both with respect to initial costs and with respect to replacement. That is, an electrical defect associated with the illumination means would require replacement of both the illumination means and the camera. This may also be true in the reverse. That is, with an integral electronic structure, defects or failures associated with the camera may correspondingly require replacement of an entire unit consisting of both the camera and the illumination means. In addition, not only electrical defects or failures may occur, but mechanical defects or mechanical damage may also occur. If the camera is essentially mechanically integral with the mechanical structure of the illumination means, mechanical damage or defects to either the camera or the illumination means may require replacement of an entire unit consisting of the combination of the camera and illumination means.
Also, it should be noted that vehicles typically require tail or other types of lights in the rear portions of the vehicles. In addition, relatively large vehicles, such as trucks and the like, will also often require various types of lights on the sides or other portions of the truck vehicles. For purposes of providing for sufficient illumination for use of video cameras and the like, it would be advantageous if the conventionally required lights on the vehicles could be utilized. Accordingly, it would be advantageous if the camera apparatus could somehow be incorporated in some way with the light structures, while still maintaining an electrical and/or mechanical independence.